Yiba Nokholo Olufana Noluka-Abraham!

“Abo babambelela elukholweni ngabo abangoonyana baka-Abraham.”—GALATI 3:7.

 1. UAbram wahlangabezana njani novavanyo olutsha eKanan?

UABRAM washiya ubomi obutofotofo baseUre ethobela umyalelo kaYehova. Ubunzima awajamelana nabo kwiminyaka elandelayo babutshayelela uvavanyo lokholo awajamelana nalo eYiputa. Ingxelo yeBhayibhile ithi: “Kwabakho indlala ezweni.” Kwakunokuba lula ngoAbram ukuba azive ebuhlungu ngale meko. Kunoko, wathabatha amanyathelo okunyamekela intsapho yakhe. “UAbram wehlela ngaseYiputa ukuze ahlale khona njengomphambukeli, kuba indlala yayiqatha elizweni.” Intsapho ka-Abram enkulu yayingenakungabonakali eYiputa. Ngaba uYehova wayeza kuzigcina izithembiso zakhe aze amkhusele uAbram ezingozini?—Genesis 12:10; Eksodus 16:2, 3.

2, 3. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze uAbram afune umfazi wakhe angazichazi ukuba ungumfazi wakhe? (b) Xa wayesabela kule meko, uAbram wamphatha njani umkakhe?

² KwiGenesis 12:11-13 sifunda oku: “Kwathi akusondela ukuba angene eYiputa, wathi kuSarayi umfazi wakhe: ‘Khawuncede, kaloku! Ndazi kakuhle ukuba ungumfazi omhle ngembonakalo. Ngokuqinisekileyo kothi akukubona amaYiputa, athi, “Ngumfazi wakhe lo.” Kwaye aya kundibulala ngokuqinisekileyo, kodwa wena aya kukugcina uphila. Uze uncede uthi ungudade wethu, ukuze kulunge kum ngenxa yakho, uze uphile umphefumlo wam ngenxa yakho.’” Nangona uSarayi wayeneminyaka engaphezu kwama-65 ubudala, wayemhle ngeyona ndlela. Oko kwabubeka esichengeni ubomi buka-Abram.a (Genesis 12:4, 5; 17:17) Okona kubaluleke nangakumbi kukuba, oku kwakunokuchaphazela imibandela ephathelele injongo kaYehova, kuba wayethe zonke iintlanga zomhlaba zaziya kuzisikelela ngembewu ka-Abram. (Genesis 12:2, 3, 7) Ekubeni uAbram wayengekabi namntwana, kwakubalulekile ukuba aphile.

³ UAbram wathi emfazini wakhe makasebenzise icebo ababevumelene ngalo, elokuba athi ungudade wabo. Phawula ukuba nangona wayenegunya njengosolusapho, akazange alisebenzise kakubi igunya lakhe, kodwa wacela intsebenziswano nenkxaso yakhe. (Genesis 12:11-13; 20:13) UAbram wamisela amadoda umzekelo omhle wokuba asebenzise ubuntloko bawo ngothando, yaye uSarayi, ngokubonakalisa intobelo, waba ngumzekelo kubafazi banamhlanje.—Efese 5:23-28; Kolose 4:6.

 4. Abakhonzi bakaThixo abathembekileyo namhlanje bafanele benze njani xa ubomi babazalwana babo busesichengeni?

⁴ USarayi wayenokuthi ungudade boAbram kuba ngokwenene wayengumntwana kayise. (Genesis 20:12) Ngaphezu koko, wayenganyanzelekanga ukuba adlulisele inkcazelo kubantu eyayingabafanelanga. (Mateyu 7:6) Abakhonzi bakaThixo abathembekileyo banamhlanje bathobela umyalelo weBhayibhile wokunyaniseka. (Hebhere 13:18) Ngokomzekelo, abanakwenza isifungo enkundleni yomthetho baze baxoke. Noko ke, xa ubomi okanye impilo yokomoya yabazalwana babo isesichengeni, njengakumaxesha entshutshiso okanye imfazwe yamakhaya, bathobela isiluleko sikaYesu ‘sokulumka njengeenyoka baze babe msulwa njengamahobe.’—Mateyu 10:16; bona IMboniselo, kaNovemba 1, 1996, iphepha 18, isiqendu 19.

 5. Kwakutheni ukuze uSarayi avume ukuthobela isicelo sika-Abram?

⁵ Wasabela njani uSarayi kwisicelo sika-Abram? Umpostile uPetros uchaza abafazi abafana naye ‘njengabathembele kuThixo.’ Ngoko, uSarayi wayeyiqonda imibandela eyayinokuthanani naloo meko. Ngapha koko, wayeyithanda yaye eyihlonela indoda yakhe. Ngaloo ndlela uSarayi wakhetha ‘ukuzithoba endodeni yakhe’ aze azifihle ukuba utshatile. (1 Petros 3:5) Kakade ke, ngokwenjenjalo wayezibeka esichengeni. “Kwathi akungena uAbram eYiputa, amaYiputa ambona umfazi lowo, ukuba wayemhle kakhulu. Nazo iinkosana zikaFaro zambona zaza zamncoma kuFaro, waza wasiwa umfazi lowo endlwini kaFaro.”—Genesis 12:14, 15.

Ukuhlangulwa NguYehova

6, 7. Yiyiphi imeko eyayibangela ukubandezeleka kuAbram noSarayi, yaye uYehova wamhlangula njani uSarayi?

⁶ Hayi indlela ekumele ukuba oku kwabangela ukubandezeleka ngayo kuAbram noSarayi! Kwakubonakala ngathi uSarayi wayesenokudlwengulwa. Ngapha koko, uFaro, engaqondi ukuba uSarayi utshatile, wapha uAbram izipho ezininzi, kangangokuba “waba nezimvu neenkomo namaesile nezicaka nezicakakazi neemazi zamaesile neenkamela.”b (Genesis 12:16) Hayi indlela amele ukuba wazicaphukela ngayo uAbram ezi zipho! Nangona kusenokwenzeka ukuba izinto zazibonakala zimbi, uYehova akazange amlahle uAbram.

⁷ “Ke ngoko uYehova wambetha uFaro nendlu yakhe ngezibetho ezikhulu ngenxa kaSarayi, umfazi ka-Abram.” (Genesis 12:17) Ngandlel’ ithile engachazwanga, uFaro wasazi esona sizathu sokufumana kwakhe ezo ‘zibetho.’ Ngoko nangoko, “uFaro wambiza uAbram waza wathi: ‘Yintoni na le undenze yona? Kutheni ungandixelelanga nje ukuba ngumfazi wakho? Bekutheni ze uthi, “Ngudade wethu,” njengokuba nje ngoku ndiphantse ndamthabatha ndamenza umfazi wam? Nanko ke umfazi wakho. Mthabathe uhambe!’ Waza uFaro wawamisela umyalelo amadoda ngaye, aza ampheleka yena nomfazi wakhe nako konke awayenako.”—Genesis 12:18-20; INdumiso 105:14, 15.

 8. UYehova uwathembisa uhlobo olunjani lwenkuselo amaKristu namhlanje?

⁸ Namhlanje, uYehova akathembisi ukuba uya kusikhusela ekufeni, kulwaphulo-mthetho, indlala okanye iintlekele zemvelo. Sithenjiswa ukuba uYehova uya kusoloko esikhusela kwizinto ezinokuba yingozi kwimpilo yethu yokomoya. (INdumiso 91:1-4) Oko ukwenza ngokuyintloko ngokusilumkisa ngexesha elifanelekileyo ngeLizwi lakhe ‘nangekhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi.’ (Mateyu 24:45) Kuthekani ngezisongelo zokubulawa ngenxa yentshutshiso? Ngoxa esenokuvumela abantu ukuba bafe, uThixo akasayi kuze avumele ukuba abantu bakhe bapheliswe bonke. (INdumiso 116:15) Yaye ukuba abathile abathembekileyo bayafa, sinokuqiniseka ukuba baya kuvuswa.—Yohane 5:28, 29.

Ukuzincama Ukuze Kulondolozwe Uxolo

 9. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba uAbram akazange ahlale ndawonye xa wayeseKanan?

⁹ Emva kokuba iphelile indlala kwaKanan, ‘uAbram waphuma eYiputa, yena nomfazi wakhe nako konke awayenako, noLote ekunye naye, waya eNegebhi [ummandla weentaba zakwaYuda osemazantsi, ummandla ongenamvula ingako]. Yaye uAbram wayenomhlambi nesilivere negolide eninzi.’ (Genesis 13:1, 2) Ngaloo ndlela, abantu basekuhlaleni bambona njengomntu onamandla nonempembelelo, isikhulu esinamandla. (Genesis 23:6) UAbram wayengenamnqweno wokuhlala azinze apho aze abandakanyeke kwimicimbi yezobupolitika yaseKanan. Kunoko, “wahamba emisa iinkampu ngeenkampu ekuphumeni kwakhe eNegebhi esingise eBheteli, kulaa ndawo yayikuyo kuqala intente yakhe phakathi kweBheteli neAyi.” Njengesiqhelo, uAbram walubeka kwindawo yokuqala unqulo lukaYehova naphi na apho wayesiya khona.—Genesis 13:3, 4.

10. Kwavela yiphi ingxaki phakathi kwabalusi baka-Abram nabakaLote, yaye kutheni kwakubalulekile ukuba ilungiswe ngokukhawuleza?

¹⁰ “Naye uLote, owayehamba noAbram, waye enezimvu neenkomo neentente. Ngoko ilizwe elo lalingabanelanga ukuba bahlale kunye kulo, kuba impahla yabo yayininzi yaye babengenakukwazi ukuhlala ndawonye. Kwabakho ingxabano phakathi kwabalusi bemfuyo ka-Abram nabalusi bemfuyo kaLote; yaye ngelo xesha kwakuhlala amaKanan namaPerizi kwelo lizwe.” (Genesis 13:5-7) Amanzi namadlelo elo lizwe ayengenakwanela imihlambi ka-Abram nekaLote. Ngaloo ndlela, kwavuk’ imbambano nengqumbo phakathi kwabalusi. Loo ngxabano yayingafanelekanga kubanquli boThixo oyinyaniso. Ukuba loo ngxabano yayiqhubekile, kwakuza kubakho umsantsa. Ngoko uAbram wayeza kuyisingatha njani le meko? Wathabatha uLote emva kokufa kukayise kaLote, mhlawumbi wamkhulisa njengomntwana wakhe. Njengoko yayinguAbram omdala, ngaba wayengafanele azithabathele okona kulungileyo?

11, 12. Luluphi ukhetho uAbram awavumela uLote ukuba alwenze, yaye kutheni kusithiwa uLote wenza ukhetho lobuyatha?

¹¹ Kodwa “uAbram wathi kuLote: ‘Makungabikho ngxabano kaloku, phakathi kwam nawe naphakathi kwabalusi bam nabalusi bakho, kuba siyazalana. Aliphambi kwakho na ilizwe liphela? Ndincede ke ngoko, masahlukane. Ukuba uya ngasekhohlo, mna ndoya ngasekunene; kodwa ukuba uya ngasekunene, mna ndoya ngasekhohlo.’” Kufuphi neBheteli kukho indawo ebizwa ngokuba “yenye yezona ndawo onokuyibona kakuhle kuzo iPalestina.” Mhlawumbi wayelapho ‘uLote xa waphakamisa amehlo akhe waza wabona iSithili saseYordan siphela, ukuba sonke sasingummandla onamanzi amaninzi ngaphambi kokuba uYehova ayonakalise iSodom neGomora, sasinjengomyezo kaYehova, sinjengelizwe laseYiputa ukuya kufikelela eTsoware.’—Genesis 13:8-10.

¹² Nangona iBhayibhile ichaza uLote ‘njengelungisa,’ ngasizathu sithile akazange amthobele uAbram kule nkalo, yaye akubonakali nokuba wafuna isiluleko kule ndod’ inkulu. (2 Petros 2:7) “ULote wanyula iSithili saseYordan siphela, waza uLote wayifudusela ngasempuma inkampu yakhe. Bahlukana ke ngoko omnye komnye. UAbram wahlala ezweni lakwaKanan, kodwa uLote yena wahlala kwizixeko zeso Sithili. Ekugqibeleni wamisa intente kufuphi neSodom.” (Genesis 13:11, 12) ISodom yayichumile yaye kwakukho izinto ezininzi eziphathekayo apho. (Hezekile 16:49, 50) Ngoxa kusenokubonakala ngathi uLote wayekhethe ngobulumko ngokuphathelele izinto eziphathekayo, kodwa ngokomoya yayilukhetho lobuyatha. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba iGenesis 13:13 ithi: “Abantu baseSodom babengabenzi bobubi yaye babengaboni abakhulu kuYehova.” Ekugqibeleni, isigqibo sikaLote sokufudukela apho sasiya kubangela usizi.

13. Umzekelo ka-Abram uluncedo njani kumaKristu anokubandakanyeka kwimbambano yemali?

¹³ Noko ke, uAbram wabonakalisa ukholo kwisithembiso sikaYehova sokuba ekugqibeleni imbewu yakhe yayiza kuhlala kwelo lizwe; akazange enze imbambano ngenxalenye encinane yalo. Ngesisa, wenza ngokuvisisana nomgaqo owabhalwa kamva kweyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 10:24 othi: “Ngamnye makafune, kungekhona ingenelo yakhe, kodwa eyomnye umntu.” Esi sisikhumbuzo esifanelekileyo kwabo banokubandakanyeka kwimbambano yemali nelinye ikholwa. Kunokuba basebenzise isiluleko esikuMateyu 18:15-17, abanye baye bamangalela abazalwana babo enkundleni. (1 Korinte 6:1, 7) Umzekelo ka-Abram ubonisa ukuba kubhetele ukulahlekelwa yimali kunokuzisa ugculelo egameni likaYehova okanye uphazamise uxolo ebandleni lobuKristu.—Yakobi 3:18.

14. UAbram wayeza kusikelelwa njani ngenxa yokuba nesisa?

¹⁴ UAbram wayeza kusikelelwa ngenxa yokuba nesisa. UThixo wathi: “Ndiya kuyenza imbewu yakho ibe ngangamasuntswana othuli lomhlaba, kuze kuthi, ukuba umntu uyakwazi ukubala amasuntswana othuli lomhlaba, abe nako ukuyibala nembewu yakho.” Hayi indlela ekumele ukuba kwamkhuthaza ngayo oku uAbram owayengenamntwana! Emva koko, uThixo wamyalela wathi: “Suka ke, ulihambahambe ilizwe elo ngobude balo nangobubanzi balo, kuba ndiya kukunika lona.” (Genesis 13:16, 17) UAbram akazange avunyelwe ukuba ahlale azinze kwisixeko esinobunewunewu. Wayemele angazidibanisi namaKanan. NamaKristu namhlanje amele ahlale ahlukile ehlabathini. Akazigqali ongamile kunabanye, kodwa akanxulumani ngokusondeleyo naye nawuphi na umntu onokuwahendela ukuba abandakanyeke kwihambo echasene neZibhalo.—1 Petros 4:3, 4.

15. (a) Ukuhambahamba kuka-Abram kusenokwenzeka ukuba kwakuthetha ntoni? (b) Nguwuphi umzekelo uAbram awawumisela iintsapho ezingamaKristu namhlanje?

¹⁵ Kumaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile, ngaphambi kokuba umntu anikwe umhlaba, wayenelungelo lokuya kuwuhlola. Ngaloo ndlela, kusenokwenzeka ukuba ukuqhubeka kwakhe ehambahamba kwakusisikhumbuzo sokuba ngenye imini eli lizwe liya kuba lelenzala ka-Abram. Ngentobelo “uAbram waqhubeka ehlala ezintenteni. Kamva waya kuhlala phakathi kwemithi emikhulu kaMamre, eseHebron; waza wamakhela khona isibingelelo uYehova.” (Genesis 13:18) Kwakhona uAbram wabonakalisa ukuba unqulo ulubeka kwindawo yokuqala. Ngaba isifundo sentsapho, umthandazo wentsapho nokuya kwiintlanganiso nikubeka kwindawo yokuqala entsatsheni yenu?

Ukuhlasela Kotshaba

16. (a) Kutheni amazwi okuqala eGenesis 14:1 evakala esoyikisa? (b) Sasiyintoni isizathu sokuhlasela kookumkani abane basempuma?

¹⁶ “Kwathi ngemihla ka-Amrafele ukumkani waseShinare, uAriyoki ukumkani wase-Elasare, uKedolahomere ukumkani wase-Elam,c noTidali ukumkani wamaGoyi, benza imfazwe.” KwisiHebhere santlandlolo, amazwi okuqala athi (“Kwathi ngemihla . . . ”) avakala esoyikeka, achaza “ixesha lesilingo esagqibela ngokuba yintsikelelo.” (Genesis 14:1, 2, umbhalo osemazantsi weNW eneembekiselo) Esi silingo saqalisa njengoko aba kumkani bane basempuma nemikhosi yabo bahlasela elakwaKanan kabuhlungu. Yayiyintoni injongo yabo? Ukuze badambise imvukelo yezixeko ezihlanu iSodom, iGomora, iAdima, iTsebhoyim neBhela. Emva kokuba boyise ezo zixeko, “bahamba bemanyene ukuya eNtilini yaseSidim, oko kukuthi uLwandle lweTyuwa.” ULote nentsapho yakhe babehlala kufuphi nalapho.—Genesis 14:3-7.

17. Kutheni ukuthinjwa kukaLote kwakuluvavanyo lokholo kuAbram?

¹⁷ Ookumkani bamaKanan babaxhathisa ngamandla abo bahlaseli, kodwa boyiswa ngokulihlazo. “Abo boyisileyo bayithabatha yonke impahla yaseSodom naseGomora nako konke ukutya kwabo baza bemka. Bamthabatha noLote unyana womntakwabo Abram nempahla yakhe baza bemka. Wayehlala eSodom ngoko.” Kwafika ezi ndaba zothusayo ezindlebeni zika-Abram: “Emva koko indoda eyayisindile yaya kuxelela uAbram umHebhere. Wayemise umnquba wakhe ngoko phakathi kwemithi emikhulu kaMamre umAmori, umntakwabo Eshkoli nomntakwabo Anere; bona babenqophisene noAbram. Ngaloo ndlela uAbram weva ukuba umntakwabo wayethatyathwe njengomthinjwa.” (Genesis 14:8-14) Okunjani kona ukuvavanywa kokholo! Ngaba uAbram wayeza kumqumbela umtshana wakhe ngokuthabatha eyona nxalenye intle yomhlaba? Khumbula ukuba aba bahlaseli babevela kwilizwe lakowabo eShinare. Ukuya kulwa nabo kwakuza kuphelisa naliphi na ithemba lokubuyela ekhaya. Ngapha koko, yintoni eyayinokwenziwa nguAbram nxamnye nomkhosi owoyisa imikhosi emanyeneyo yaseKanan?

18, 19. (a) UAbram wakwazi njani ukuhlangula uLote? (b) Ngubani owafumana uzuko ngolo loyiso?

¹⁸ Kwakhona uAbram wakholosa ngoYehova ngokupheleleyo. “Wasuka ke wahlanganisa amadoda akhe aqeqeshiweyo, amakhoboka angamakhulu amathathu aneshumi elinesibhozo azalelwe endlwini yakhe, waza wasukela ukusa kwaDan. Yaye wayahlula ngobusuku imikhosi yakhe, yena namakhoboka akhe, ngokunxamnye nabo, waza ngaloo ndlela waboyisa, wabasukela ukusa eHobha, ekumntla weDamasko. Kwaye wayibuyisa yonke impahla, wabuyisa kwanoLote umntakwabo nempahla yakhe kwanabafazi nabantu.” (Genesis 14:14-16) Ebonakalisa ukholo olomeleleyo kuYehova, uAbram wakhokela imikhosi yakhe eyayimbalwa ngentelekiso waza woyisa, ehlangula uLote nentsapho yakhe. Ke kaloku uAbram wadibana noMelkitsedeki, ukumkani owayengumbingeleli waseSalem. “UMelkitsedeki ukumkani waseSalem wazisa isonka newayini, yaye wayengumbingeleli wOyena Thixo Uphakamileyo. Wandula ke wamsikelela wathi: ‘Makasikelelwe uAbram wOyena Thixo Uphakamileyo, UMvelisi wezulu nomhlaba; Yaye makabongwe Oyena Thixo Uphakamileyo, Obanikele abacinezeli bakho esandleni sakho!’ Ngoko uAbram wamnika isishumi sento yonke.”—Genesis 14:18-20.

¹⁹ Ewe, nguYehova owabangela olo loyiso. Ngenxa yokholo lwakhe, uAbram waphinda wahlangulwa nguYehova. Abantu bakaThixo namhlanje ababandakanyeki kumlo wokoqobo, kodwa bajamelana nezilingo ezininzi nocelomngeni. Inqaku lethu elilandelayo liza kusibonisa indlela umzekelo ka-Abram onokusinceda ngayo ukuba sihlangabezane nazo ngempumelelo.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

Ngaba Uphawulile?

• Indlala yelizwe lakwaKanan yaba luvavanyo lokholo njani kuAbram?

• UAbram noSarayi bawumisela njani umzekelo omhle kumadoda nabafazi namhlanje?

• Yintoni esinokuyifunda kwindlela uAbram awasingatha ngayo ingxabano eyayiphakathi kwabakhonzi bakhe nabakaLote?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 22]

UAbram akazange afune amalungelo akhe ngenkani kodwa wabeka izilangazelelo zikaLote kwindawo yokuqala

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]

UAbram wabonakalisa intembelo kuYehova xa wayehlangula umtshana wakhe uLote